System for protecting trains.



G. CARBONI L C. TIRONI. sYsTBM-PoR PROTBGTING TRAINS.

PPLICATIQN FILED JAN.12, 1910.

Patented Feb. 25, 1913.

GINO CARBONI AND CARLO TIRONI, OF FLORENCE, ITALY.

SYSTEM FOR PROTEGTING '.IRAINS.

S'p'eciilcation of-Letters Patent.

.Patented rep. 25,1913;

Application filed January 12, 1910. Serial No. 537,711.

I To all whom 'it may concern Protecting Trains, a specification.

i latter stopping, I .train will remain unt1l the forward tram Be it known that we, GINO CARBONI and CARLO TmoNI, subjects of the King of Italy, and both residing at Florence, in the Kingdom of Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Systems for of which the following is This invention relates to a systeml for preventing collisions between trains approachingeeach-other from opposite directions, or tween two trains where one train overtakes another.

The invention has for one of its objects to improve and simplify the construction and installation of systems' of this character so as to be comparatively simple and inexpensive, and reliable and eflicient in use.

'Another `object of the inventin is to provide a simple and novel arrangement of sectional conductors along the railroad track whereby trains moving along the track in the opposite or in the same direction lwill be automatically stopped when 4they are in dangerous proximity, there being electrical means on each train as well as a source of current whereby each train will control the operation of the other. l For instance, when two trains approach each other from opposite directions and arrive at a certain, dis-` tance apart,both trains will be stopped in time to -prevent a collision, while in the case of a rear train overtaking one ahead, the rear train will be automatically controlled and stopped by the train ahead, without the and this 'control ofthe rear has reached a safe distance.

IlVithv these and other objects in view, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invent1on comprise the various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts' which will be more fully described hereinafter land set forth with particularity in the claimappended hereto.

In the accom anying drawings, which illustrate one em odiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the system showing two trains traveling in the same direction on the sametrack, and the forward train controlling the rear one. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the operation of the system in case of two trains approachingeach other from opposite directions 4 are arranged-to form tions.

{Similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 desig- Y nate the track rails which may be suitably bonded to enable the rails to act as electric conductors for the circuits of the system.-

Extending longitudinally of the track and arranged tional conductors designated generali A, A', A2. sections 3 by Each conductor consists o two and 4 which are offset with rein any suitable manner are secspect to each other and are connected together by cross-over connections 5. The sections 3 of all the sectional conductors are arranged to form a line a,

a line c, d. With respect to trains moving from the left to the right, the sections 3 are the ent-rance portions of the sectional conductors, while the sections 4 are the exit portions, but this relation is reversed with regard to trains moving from the right to the left. Between the inner and outer end of contiguous'corresponding sections 3 and sections 4 are gaps 6 and 7, respectively, and the gaps 6 are staggered or offset with respect to the gaps 7. Consequently, the sectional conductor A is insulated from or electrically disconnected from the adjacent sectional conductor A', and this is true wit-h regard to all the sectional conductors. At the outer extremity of each entrance section, such as 3, of the sectional conductors, is .a gapbridging extension or terminal 8, so arranged that the gaps are bridged. Specifically, the gap-bridging extenslon sectional conductor A overlaps the inner ortion of the section 3 of the sectional conuctor A.

The outer extremities of the'exit sections 4 are provided with ga or terminals 9 that bri gap-bridging terminals 9 exten in the opposite direction from the gap-bridgin terminals 8. By means of theseg1\pbri ging terminals, it 1s impossiblefor a train to ever occupy a position vices will not be'in electrical l.contact with two sectional conductors.

v On each train are trolleys 10 and 11 which are insulated from each other and are adapted to run on the lines formed by the sections 3 and 4 of the sectional conductors. The trolley 10 is connected by a. wire 12 with a source of current such as a' dynamo 13 on the train, the opposite terminal of the ge the ga s 7. These b, while the sec- 8 of ,the l -bridging extensions where its electrical dedynamo being connected by a Wire 14 to the track rails 1 and 2, so that the latter form return conductors. Thetrolley 11 is con means for controlling an air brake Valve or other equivalent train-stopping means or signal (not shown), such electrical means being in the present instance an lelectroniagnet 16 .which is connected in any suitable manner, as for instance by the Wire 14, with the track rails 1 and 2.

In Fig. 1, trains T2 and T are represented as traveling from the left to the right, and in this case the train T2 Will be controlled and arrested by the forward train T. Current flows in the path indicated by the arrows from the generator 13 of t-rain Tf, through the' wire 1Q, trolley'lO, gap-bridging terminal 9 of the sectional conductor A, through the parts 4, 5 and 3 of the latter, trolley 11 of train T2, Wire 15, electro-magnet 16, wire 14, track rail 2, Wire 14 of train T, thus making a complete circuit and causing the train-stopping means of Atrain T2 to be actuated by the'electro-magnet 16. Current can not How from the generator 13 of train T2 tothe electro-magnet 16 of train T, because the trolley 10 of train A has no electrical connection with the trolley-11 of train 1. When two trains approach each other. within dangerous proximity, bo-th trains are arrested, as'will be understood by reference to Fig. 2. Current flows from the generator 13 of train T, through the wire 1'2 tothe sectional conducto-r A2, and through the latter to the trolley^11 of train T2, Wire,

15, electro-magnet 16, wire 14, generator 13 of train T2, wire 12, and trolley of train T2, section 4 of conductor A', trolley 11 of' train T', Wire and electro-magnet 16 thereof, wire 14, and generator 18 of' train T. In other words, the electro-magnets of both trains will be energized to operate the brake mechanisms thereof. It' will thus be seen that the same system will operate to prevent head# on or tail-end collisions. p

Having thus described'the invention, we claim,

In a system for protecting trains, the combination of a track, a plurality of sectional conductors insulated from each other and from the rails of the track and each comprising an entrance and an exit section, and a cross-over connection uniting the sections, the entrance sections being arranged in a line and the exit sections being also ar ranged in. a line, there being gaps. between adjacent sections in each line, and a gap-v bridging extension or terminal connected with the outer end of each section and overlapping the inner portions of adjacent sections, the gap-bridging extensions of one line of sections extending in the opposite direction from those of the other line of sections, with a train equipment having a contact means for engaging each line Vof sections` and the bridging extensions thereof,` a source of'current connected, with one of` the said contact means, means for connect- -ing the source with the track rails, and

train-stopping meansV connected also with the track rails and with the other of said contact means adapted to be energized by current furnished by another'train.

In testimony whereof we havesigned our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GINO cARBom.y [L 8.] CARLO TIRoNi. [1.. 5,]

x Witnesses as to Gino Carboni:

GUIDO QUERA, UGO TABIANI. 4. Witnessesas to Carlo Tironi:

OLIVIERI LINO,

FRANCESCO GHERARD. 

